West Des Moines Schools Proposes Grade Shift Among Buildings

WESTS DES MOINES, IA — Schools in West Des Moines would be reconfigured to move sixth-graders out of elementary buildings, change the ninth-grade building to a career-focused high school and add ninth-graders to Valley High School under a proposal that will go before the school board next month. The community can learn about the proposals and offer feedback at meetings tonight and Monday.

The recommendations would not be immediately implemented, but would be part of ten-year facilities planning for the district and ongoing efforts to address space needs, Superintedent Lisa Remy said in an announcement on the district's website.

"We've learned that our education goals and practices may not align with our current physical space," she said in a district video about the recommendations. "In short, instructional needs should drive construction solutions. Our emphasis must be on striving to do what's best for learners in our diverse and changing world."

The recommendations include feedback the district received through a fall survey of families, students and staff. District officials analyzed the survey information with the group BrainSpaces before making its recommendations.

>>Click this link to read the full report.

In addition to realigning grade levels, the plan would expand 4-year-old preschool programs to all eight elementary buildings. The district would continue collaboration with community preschools to offer childcare services for the other half of the day.

The proposal to move sixth-graders out of all eight elementary buildings would "support and emphasize middle school instructional design," rather than the seventh- and eighth-grade junior high model, according to the recommendations. The middle school model would change in name, programming and facility design, providing flexible building spaces. Sixth-graders also would have elective class opportunities.

Valley Southwoods would become a career-focused building for students in grades 9 to 12, with the same grade levels at Valley, which would remain a traditional high school. District officials said although there would be two grade 9-12 buildings, both would fall under the umbrella on one high school while offering opportunities within both buildings.

Students from both Valley and Walnut Creek could participate in classes held in the career-focused learning center, which would have expanded career and technical offerings to provide more courses relevant to skills businesses are seeking in future employees. The change would require remodeling of the learning center to support flexible space for future programming needs.

"What was considered a good education a decade ago is no longer enough for success in college, career and citizenship today," Remy explained in the video about the recommendations, which are scheduled to go to the school board Jan. 8.

You can learn more about the recommendations and provide feedback at sessions being held at 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 13) and Monday, Dec. 18, in the Community Room at the Learning Resource Center, 3550 Mills Civic Parkway.

Anyone unable to attend may submit feedback online.

Image via West Des Moines schools